2021 NBA Mock Draft: First Edition

 Here is my first edition of my 2021 NBA Mock Draft.

1. Houston Rockets- Cade Cunningham, Point Guard, Oklahoma State: Although it's not a guarantee that the Rockets will be picking first overall, but Cunningham would be the guy for the Rockets if they were to pick first. Cunningham's playmaking is something that should translate into the NBA and he has the "it factor" teams look for in players.

2. Detroit Pistons- Evan Mobley, Center, USC: Mobley was outstanding this past season for the Trojans and had some folks talking about whether he should be considered to go first over Cunningham. The Pistons have needs everywhere on their roster and Mobley has great size and is great around the rim as well.

3. Orlando Magic- Jalen Suggs, Point Guard, Gonzaga: The Magic are heading for a full rebuild here and they would be lucky if they were to land in the top three in the lottery and really could use that. Suggs will forever be known for the big shot against UCLA, but outside of that he's notorious for great decision making and has great poise.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder- Jalen Green, Shooting Guard, G-League/USA: The Thunder are still in a long-term rebuild and here I have them taking Green, but it also brings an interesting scenario since they already have Shae Gilgeous-Alexander. Green is an elite scorer and has good playmaking abilities as well.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers- Jordan Kuminga, Small Forward, G-League/Congo: The Cavaliers need help on the wing and Kuminga would be a solid choice. Despite being oversized for a wing, he is someone that put up solid numbers in the G-league, despite not having a great shot.

6. Golden State Warriors (from Minnesota Timberwolves)- Scottie Barnes, Small Forward, Florida State: Courtesy of the D'Angelo Russell trade, there's a good chance the Warriors end up with another lottery pick. Barnes is somebody that would be a good fit for the Warriors and has good defensive abilities although he does not shoot the ball very well.

7. Toronto Raptors- Davion Mitchell, Point Guard, Baylor: The Raptors have not been in the lottery in eight years and here I have them selecting Mitchell, the brother of Donovan. Kyle Lowry may depart as a free agent so it would makes sense for them to go with a point guard that could be their point guard of the future, who is a great defender, passer, and can shoot open shots.

8. Orlando Magic (from Chicago Bulls)- Isaiah Jackson, Power Forward, Kentucky: Courtesy of the Nikola Vusevic trade, the Magic get another pick in the lottery and this one they go with Jackson. He is a great athlete with some good abilities on the defensive side of the floor and he and Jalen Suggs would be a nice duo to come away with if that would be the case.

9. Sacramento Kings- Moses Moody, Shooting Guard, Arkansas: This pick would be interesting due to the fact that the Kings already have a crowded backcourt to begin with. Moody's perimeter defense is outstanding and has a nice mid range jumper as well.

10. New Orleans Pelicans- Corey Kispert, Shooting Guard, Gonzaga: The Pelicans should look more at guard options than forward/big options due to their current roster construction. Kispert is somebody that could develop into a solid three-and-D wing that this team currently lacks.

11. Charlotte Hornets- Kai Jones, Power Forward/Center, Texas: The Hornets biggest need lies in the middle and they should prioritize the big men situation this offseason. Jones is somebody that is capable of elite shot blocking and can space the floor well, which fits what the Hornets are looking for.

12. San Antonio Spurs- James Bouknight, Shooting Guard, Connecticut: Bouknight falling this far some may consider a steal. Bouknight screams a classic Spurs guy, who can score in a variety of ways and could end up adding more to his game as well sans the team being loaded with guards.

13. Indiana Pacers- Franz Wagner, Small Forward, Michigan: The Pacers have a lot of talent on their roster and someone like Wagner would only make this team deeper. Wagner is another classic 3-and-D player and would give the Pacers another dimension with their second unit.

14. Golden State Warriors- Jalen Johnson, Small Forward, Duke: Johnson is someone that really didn't pan out as the player the Blue Devils hoped he would be, but maybe he will find it in the pro's. Johnson is a solid passer and has a good frame and teams are seriously banking on potential here.

15. Washington Wizards- Josh Giddey, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Australia: Giddey to me is a huge wild card in this draft due to playing overseas. Giddey is a great play maker, passer, and has excellent court vision, but his defense is not very good.

16. Boston Celtics- Jaden Springer, Point Guard, Tennessee: The Celtics are a team that has not hit on draft picks recently (outside of Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown). Springer is an excellent shooter and is capable of being a starting point guard and this pick would make sense if the team were to move on from Kemba Walker.

17. Memphis Grizzlies- Jared Butler, Point Guard, Baylor: The Grizzlies go with Butler here to be their backup point guard and to give them Ja Morant insurance. Butler can shoot the ball very well and developed a passing game as well.

18. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami Heat)- Alperen Sengun, Center, Besiktas: The Thunder lack young bigs with potential and they get one here with Sengun. He provides a little bit of an old school game with double-double potential and also can protect the rim.

19. New York Knicks- Usman Garuba, Center, Real Madrid: This pick would make sense for the up-and-coming Knicks as they may have a need for a backup big depending on free agency. Garuba has a big wing span and he excels defensively and provides a ton of energy.

20. Atlanta Hawks- Chris Durate, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Oregon: This would be the classic Hawks pick- a three-and-D player that is versatile and if he were younger, he'd be picked sooner. Durate can score at all three levels and can defend multiple positions as well.

21. New York Knicks (from Dallas Mavericks)- Tre Mann, Point Guard, Florida: Courtesy of the Kristaps Porzingis trade, the Knicks have an extra first round pick. Mann would be an interesting pick here and he can play both on and off the ball and can shoot it from three.

22. Los Angeles Lakers- Ziaire Williams, Small Forward, Stanford: The Lakers are a team you can make a case has to nail this selection. Williams is somebody that really didn't live up to hype in college, but has defensive upside and is a solid athlete. Williams also played with LeBron's son Bronny so that's a fun subplot here.

23. Houston Rockets (from Portland Trail Blazers)- Josh Christopher, Shooting Guard, Arizona State: The Rockets have a second first rounder courtesy of the Robert Covington trade. Christopher had a great Freshman season on the underachieving Sun Devils and showed an ability to get to the basket a lot.

24. Houston Rockets (from Milwaukee Bucks)- Greg Brown, Power Forward, Texas: The Rockets with their third first rounder go with an upside play with Brown. He wasn't consistent with the Longhorns, but is long and athletic and could learn from current Rocket Christian Wood.

25. Los Angeles Clippers- Johnny Juzang, Shooting Guard, UCLA: Juzang gets to stay home as he goes to the Clippers in my first mock. Juzang helped the Bruins in their surprising run to the Final Four a season ago and he's shown playmaking ability as well as length on defense.

26. Denver Nuggets- Cameron Thomas, Shooting Guard, LSU: The Nuggets need guard depth with Jamal Murray slated to miss the start of next season as he recovers from his torn ACL. Thomas is a basket maker, despite being raw in terms of his outside shot.

27. Brooklyn Nets- Ayo Dosumnu, Shooting Guard, Illinois: This would be a fabulous selection for the contending Nets, who can use some depth on their bench. Dosumnu facilitated in all ways of the game and would be a solid backup for Kyrie Irving.

28. Philadelphia 76ers- Sharife Cooper, Point Guard, Auburn: Cooper is a really good player, but I'm not sure if the 76ers are the team for him due to them being somewhat guard heavy from a bench standpoint. Cooper is outstanding at creating shots not just for himself, but for his teammates.

29. Phoenix Suns- Joel Ayayi, Shooting Guard, Gonzaga: The Suns are pretty much deep all over their roster so the point here is to get a good depth piece. Ayayi was an unsung hero on Gonzaga's near perfect season run and has good length and shooting ability.

30. Utah Jazz- Charles Bassey, Center, Western Kentucky: Bassey is somebody that was not always given the attention due to where he played and the fact he was injured his Sophomore season before dominating as a Junior. He is an outstanding defender in the middle and does a lot to impact the game.